Everything is Obvious: How Common Sense Fails: How Common Sense Fails in a Complex World - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1848872151 ISBN 13: 9781848872158

Synopsis

Common sense underpins the constellation of decisions and opinions we make and form every day. As individuals, and as a society, the way we behave, react and interact is grounded in our perception of 'the sensible thing to do'. But history is a litany of the insensible; misunderstandings and failures, wastes of money and in some cases, wastes of life. And yet we continue to trust in the infallibility of common sense. In this bold thesis, renowned network scientist Duncan Watts exposes the complex mechanics of judgment and proposes a radical new way of thinking about human behaviour. Everything is Obvious demonstrates the striking degree that common sense is rarely applicable as foresight, but rather only as hindsight; and how it is less a process of logic, but rather a product of influence. But if our decisions and opinions are so governed by others, can we be sure if common sense is indicative of what is sensible, or simply of what is common?

About this title

Review:

'Every once in a while, a book comes along that forces us to re-examine what we know and how we know it. This is one of those books.' Dan Ariely, New York Times bestselling author of Predictably Irrational

Book Description:

From one of the world's most influential and cited sociologists, Everything is Obvious reveals how variable is human common sense and how, as individuals, societies and businesses, we delude ourselves into thinking we can know the future.

'Every once in a while, a book comes along that forces us to re-examine what we know and how we know it. This is one of those books.' Dan Ariely, New York Times bestselling author of Predictably Irrational

About this edition

• ISBN 10: 1848872151
• ISBN 13: 9781848872158
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320